Hanger means for conveyors



Jan. 1, 1957 H. H. SPILLERS 2,775,043

HANGER MEANS FOR CONVEYORS Filed June 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1957 H. H. SPILLERS 2,776,043

HANGER MEANS FOR CONVEYORS Filed June 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I26 132 INVENTOR MROLD SPILLERS' ATTORNEY United States Patent (3 HANGER MEANS FOR CGNVEYORS Harold H. Spiliers, Flint, Mich. Application June 16, 1955, Serial No. 515,993

7 Claims. (Cl. 198-177) This invention relates to a conveyor device, and it particularly relates to a conveyor device having article holding means dependent therefrom, which are biased by their own weight into locked position.

The holding device of the present invention is designed to be mounted on most types of conveyors, and is particularly adapted for use with endless belts or chain conveyors. By being dependent from the conveyor, the locking means can automatically fall, by its own weight, into locking position. This not only eliminates the need for complex locking mechanisms which are difficult to handle and which are easily broken, but it also reduces both the initial cost of the conveyor as well as its maintenance costs. In some instances, spring tension in the locking device itself may be substituted for the weight biasing thereof.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a conveyor device having locking means which automatically lock an article in place by means of the inherent construction of the locking means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor device which is relatively simple in construction and inexpensive to make and maintain.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor device having article holding means that are simple to operate and which can be easily opened.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved conveyor, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly etficieut in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a conveyor holding device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the device showing an article held thereon.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a second form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the device of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of one of the tension spring hooks of Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a conveyor, generally designated 10, comprising a chain 12. Secured to each link assembly of the chain 12 is a hanger 14 which is provided with a pair of oppositely extending arms 16 at its upper end. Each of the arms 16 has a vertical upper portion 18 to which is rotatably connected a roller 20, as by means of roller shafts 22 journaled in the vertical portions 18. A head 24 on each shaft 22 secures the shaft in place on its respective vertical arm portion 18, while a similar head 26 is provided at the opposite end of each shaft to hold the rollers in place. Each of the rollers 20 are movably positioned in their respective guide channels 28 formed on opposite sides of rail 30. Flanges 32, on the outer end of each roller, abut against the bottom edge of the respective channel whereby the rollers are guided in their channels.

At the lower end of the hanger 14, below the chain 12, there is provided a second pair of oppositely inclined arms 34, smaller than arms 16, and ending in vertical portions 36. The upper ends of the vertical arms 38 of a pair of supports 40, are clamped between the portions 36 by means of a bolt 42 and nut 44.

The supports 40 each have a horizontal arm 46 integral with the corresponding vertical arm 38, but positioned approximately at right angles thereto. As shown, each arm 46 is provided with a downwardly inclined end section 48 to facilitate applying the load thereover. A generally square or rectangular recess 50 is provided in the top surface of each arm 46, intermediate the ends thereof.

The vertical arms 38 of the supports 40 are rigidly connected to a spacing plate 52, at opposite sides thereof, by appropriate connecting means such as the arc Welds indicated at 54. This spacing plate 52 prevents vertical or horizontal swinging of the support 46 relative to the hanger or to each other.

A laterally extending bracket 56 is are Welded to the vertical arm 38 of each support 40. These brackets each comprise a pair of integrally connected, laterally extending ears having aligned openings therein. A rivet, pin, bolt, or the like, shown at 58, is fixed between the ears of each bracket with the ends of the pin 58 or the like, secured in the openings in the ears. These pins 58, or the like, act to pivotally support one end of a bar 60 of a hook 62. The free end of each bar 66 is provided with a rear portion 64, the edges of which incline radially inward toward the point of the hook. The hooks 62 are constructed of a material which is suificiently heavy to bias the ends thereof downwardly on their pivots when hanging free. The angle of the edges of the rear portions are so determined that the movement of the hooks 62 downwardly around their pivots 58 causes the points of the hooks to move in an inward and downward inclined path and engage within the corresponding recesses 50 on their respective support arms. The heavier the weight of the hooks, the greater is their downward and inward bias into the recesses and the tighter is the engagement of the points of the hooks 62 in the recesses 50.

Fig. 3 shows the conveyor in use for transporting an automobile oil pan P. The oil pan P is slipped over one of the arms 46 so that the inclined end section 48 of the arm closely supports the curved bottom periphery of the pan. The hook point engages under the rear edge of the bearing seal roll B of the oil pan, and is held in engagement therewith by the downwardly and inwardly inclined vector force of the weight of the hook. When it is desired to release the hook from its engagement with the oil pan, it is merely necessary to lift up and out on the oil pan, whereby immediate disengagement is effected. A second oil pan, not shown, may be similarly engaged with the other hook 60.

In addition to being capable of supporting an oil pan, such as in Fig. 3, the device is also capable of supporting any other object that is provided with a flange, hole, bead or similar engagement means. The device can also be used to support a box, bale, bundle or the like, which are bound by means of a strap, cord, wire, or the like. In these instances, the cord, or the like, is looped over the horizontal arm 46 so that it passes over the recess 50. The hook point will then engage under the cord and wedge it between the hook and an edge of the recess to hold it firmly in place. In this case, too, release of the article may be effected by lifting the cord up and out, or by lifting the hook itself.

In addition to the above, the device can also be used as a meat hook for holding quarters of beef, slabs of bacon, or other cuts of meat. In such instances, the hook points will pierce the meat sufiiciently to cause a firm engagement to take place.

In Figs. 4 to 6, there is shown a second form of the device which also comprises a hanger 100 carried by a chain 102, with roller means, not shown, provided on the hanger above the chain for movement in the side channels of a rail. The lower end of the hanger 100 is similarly provided with inclined arms 104 having straight, vertical portions 1&6 to act as journals for a bolt 108 secured in position by a nut 110. The nut and bolt act to clamp the vertical arms 112 of a pair of supports 114 to the hanger. Each support 114 is provided with a horizontal arm 116 and a downwardly inclined edge 117 and each support is spaced from the other by a spacer plate 118 are welded or otherwise secured thereto.

Each horizontal arm 116 is provided with .a square or generally rectangular recess 120 on its upper surface, and each vertical arm 112 is provided with a clamp 122 on its outer surface. A spring arm 124, having a vertically oifset inner end 126, an arcuate center portion 128, a rear portion 130 and an upwardly and outwardly inclined outer end 132, is clamped to each of the vertical arms 112 by the clamps 122. The spring arm may be round or fiat, but is preferably flat, as shown, in order to give a better holding surface at the hook points. In this form of the device, an article, such as the bundle L having a cord C, a portion of which is held in the recess 120 by the hook, is secured in position by means of the tension of the spring arm acting downwardly and inwardly through the rear 1351, rather than by means of the weight of the hook, as in the first described embodiment. This form of the invention is, therefore, better suited for use with small or light-Weight articles. However, it may be constructed in any size desired. In order to release the hook 130, in this form of the invention, it is merely necessary to push inwardly on the outer ends 132.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A conveyor device comprising a movable support,

a hanger depending from said support and movable therewith, said hanger including a vertical and horizontal arm substantially perpendicular to each other, at least one bar pivotally connected to said vertical arm and having a hook portion at its free end, the point of said hook portion being spaced under said bar and inwardly of the free end thereof, and a recess in the upper surface of said horizontal arm, said bar being biased in a direction to urge the point of said hook portion into engagement within said recess and to bias an article held on said horizontal arm toward said vertical arm.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said bar is biased by the force of gravity acting thereon.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said bar is resilient and is biased by its own resilience.

4. A conveyor device comprising a movable support, a hanger depending from said support and movable therewith, a pair of spaced vertical plates connected to said hanger, a substantially perpendicular arm extending from the lower end of each of said plates, said arms extending in opposite directions, a spacer plate connected between said plates, a bar pivotally connected to each plate, a hook at the end of each bar, the points of said hooks being positioned under and inwardly of the end of the corresponding bar, a rectangular recess in the upper surface of each arm, said recesses being positioned inwardly of the ends of the bars, and means to urge the points of said hooks into interengagement with the corresponding recess walls and thereby bias articles held on said perpendicular arms toward said vertical plates.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said bars are Weighted and are pivotally connected to their corresponding plates by means of pivot pins.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein said bars are resilient and each comprises an inner vertical portion clamped at top and bottom to its corresponding plate, the central portion of the bar being arcuate, an inwardly directed hook portion depending from the free end of the central portion, and an upwardly and outwardly directed arm extending from the hook portion.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein the outer ends of the arms are inclined in a downward direction from the main portion of said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

